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Wednesday, May 25, 2016

KOTA BELUD - Komulakan UPKO has reiterated its full support for the recall of all identity cards (MyKad) issued in Sabah and for a re-registration to be done to issue new MyKad to genuine Malaysians in the state.

Its chief, Ewon Benedick, said the issuance of MyKad is a security issue which topped the list of concerns by genuine Sabahans.

“When you issue MyKad to illegitimate individuals, it opens a door for them to be part of the public service, security team, electoral list and whatever opportunities the locals are privileged to. That is tantamount to selling national sovereignty the kind of which led to the infamous Lahad Datu intrusion in 2013,” said Ewon.
“Furthermore, the findings of the Royal Commission of Inquiry on Immigrants in Sabah (RCI) revealed that Project IC was in fact an organised event to provide identification card to illegal immigrants which changed the entire social and political landscape in Sabah when they were allowed to participate in the general election. Up until today, we are still wondering why no concrete action has been taken by the authorities to rectify the situation apart from the setting up of RCI to investigate the issue,” he said.

“During the recent visit by the Deputy Prime Minister cum Home Minister, Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, to Sabah, he announced that more than 28,500 fake MyKad applications have been deleted by the National Registration Department (NRD). Doesn’t this confirm the seriousness of the issue? What other actions then have been taken on these fake applicants? Certainly, you cannot allow them to stay illegitimate in the state after knowing they are illegals, especially when you have all the details of their whereabouts,” he said.

Ewon, who is also UPKO Kota Belud chief, also raised his concern on the proposed “Majlis Himpunan Rakyat – Membantah Penarikan MyKad di Sabah” by a group of NGOs on May 31.

“While we respect the right for public assembly, our simple logic tells us why worry if do not do anything illegal? And why should you oppose something like recalling of MyKad if you really possess a genuine IC after having gone through the right procedures like everyone of us did? This gathering significantly justifies the need to recall MyKad as what we have consistently proposed.

“The RCI report also revealed the element of corruption within NRD in issuing identification card to syndicates which ended in the possession of illegal immigrants who buy the IC for a price between RM2,000–RM3,500. Because of what the corrupt NRD officers had done, we – the people, reiterate our demand for the re-issuance of MyKad. To us, anyone who do not support this call is supporting the corrupt way of issuing MyKad,” said Ewon.

“The authority has the legal and moral responsibility to take action. Otherwise, how else do we want to show to the citizens of this nation? We also hope that the leadership will have political will to resolve this longstanding issue dubbed ‘the mother of all problems’ in Sabah. A state Barisan Nasional meeting specifically to discuss the mechanism of problem solving for this issue will certainly help increase the trust level of the people that the state government does really care for their appeal,” he said.

Ewon also wondered whether the organiser of the Himpunan Rakyat and their members are part of the 1.2 million signatories of the People Declaration propagated by former Prime Minister, Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamed, which is aimed at toppling the present Prime Minister, Datuk Sri Najib Tun Abdul Razak.

“Project IC, as evidenced in the RCI report, existed during Mahathir’s era as Prime Minister, and we wonder if the beneficiaries of the project have once again became part of his agenda today. We must not dismiss the possibility. The authority must not wait for an official complaint to be lodged as they have the moral responsibility to launch an investigation and take appropriate action,” he said.

Ewon was speaking after officiating at the Kaamatan celebration in Kampung Tambulion Ulu, Kota Belud, where he also emphasized on the need for the citizens beginning at the kampung level to foster stronger unity and to protect their kampung from illegal occupation. - BP